Arthur E. Doudera Sr.

Jul 30, 2018

Arthur Doudera Sr.

Camden — Arthur E. Doudera Sr. peacefully passed away July 20, 2018. He was born March 1, 1925, in the Bronx, N.Y., and grew up on Long Island, around Hempstead and Malvern. Immediately after graduating from high school, he joined the Navy and, after training to be a medical corpsman, was posted on various ships in the Pacific.

He was on the USS Bergen when it arrived in San Francisco June 5, 1945, carrying the first contingent of more than 1,000 soldiers from the Pacific theater about to be discharged from the Army. He met his future wife and lifelong companion, Gloria Mumford, in Lynnbrook, N.Y., on the very day he himself was discharged from the Navy.

They were married in March 1947 and settled in Bergen County, N.J., first in Rutherford and then in a newly built development in Glen Rock, where they raised their two sons, Arthur E. Doudera Jr., always known as Eddy, and Jon Joseph Doudera.

Arthur was a loving, sentimental and sweet man, who loved to tell jokes and share his wry wit. He loved fixing breakfast for his grandchildren (waffles being a specialty), golfing and repeating his many trademark expressions and sayings, such as “Be that as it may,” or a favorite way to mark the passing of time: “Tick, tock; tick, tock.” Arthur enjoyed fishing more than anything – freshwater, saltwater -- and usually had a rod in the trunk of his car. The family has many memories of his numerous fish stories – most of them true!

Arthur worked for the same company, Shulton – maker of legendary Old Spice cologne – for his entire career, despite the company's being acquired numerous times by larger companies.

He and Gloria moved to Quarry Hill in April 2017 and he quickly became fond of the staff there. In May of this year he was proud to take part in Camden’s Memorial Day parade, waving from a convertible and commenting that it seemed the whole town had turned out.

Arthur is survived by his wife, Gloria; his older son, Edward Doudera, and his wife, Vicki, of Camden; his daughter-in-law, Tasha Doudera, of Norfolk, Va.; and grandchildren Brian Doudera, wife Lisa, and daughter Mia, all of Imperial Beach, Calif.; Erika Doudera D’Amato, husband Joe, and children Noa and Joseph, of Elmwood Park, Ill.; Matthew Doudera and fiancée Sarah VanHorn, of Hope; Nathan Doudera, of Burlington, Vt.; and Alexandra Doudera, of Camden.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Quarry Hill, as well as Gloria Guiduli of Camden, who was a good friend and dedicated visitor.